USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Vo. I > Part 46
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New Riegel village was incorporated December 2, 1882, on petition of B. J: Murphy and thirty-nine other residents. presented to the commissioners of the county, December 28, . 1881. The local records, however, acknowledge the order of February 5, 1883, as the act of incorporation, because under this order, the first village elections were held April 2, 1883.
As early as 1825 a few Catholics who had moved to the vicinity of New Riegel, were visited at intervals by faithful fathers of the church. Ten years later Rev. Father Trehenhens, C. S. S. R., visited the neighborhood, and for many years was engaged as a traveling missioner, journeying on foot throughout Seneca and the adjoining counties. In 1845, the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood established a mission at New Riegel, with Fathers Sales and M. Brunner and five priests of the congregation in charge. The property of the church at New Riegel is valued at $25,000, the church itself is one of the finest buildings devoted to religion in northwestern Ohio, while the monastery, convent and schools are buildings equally suited to the wants of a large religious community and a great congregation.
The village of New Riegel is in Big Spring township, in the southwestern part of Seneca county, and is on the Toledo & Ohio Central railroad.
The first name given to the town of Republic was "Scipio Center," acting upon the Western Reserve rule, which confers
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upon the geographic center of a township the name "Center." The town of Republic was laid out on the southeast corner of section 16, and the northeast corner of section 21, in 1834, by David Risdon for Sidney Smith, who was later known as "General Sea." Several additions to the town were laid out later.
John Wright's log house, the first on the site of the village, stood where Gale's store was in 1847, and was, in fact, Gale's store until its destruction or removal about 1869 or 1871.
In 1835, the town consisted of Runnel's tavern. Gale's store, Amos Hall's shoe-making establishment, William Pearce's black- smith shop (a colored blacksmith) and a few log dwelling houses. The situation urged Smith to advertise the town, and this he did through the columns of the Tiffin Gazette. He advertised all his lands and lots at Republie and Tiffin, but did not succeed in dis- posing of all, as when he moved to Cincinnati in 1838 he appointed Lawyer Chapin his agent until his return to Republic in 1840. A year later he had his name changed to Sidney Sea by the legisla- ture, and in 1843 put himself forward for military honors, winning the position of brigadier-general of militia.
Rev. D. D. Bigger's church history says that the Presbyterian church was known at Republic previous to 1831; for prior to its organization Rev. James Robinson, pastor of Melmore, preached there. On September 17, 1831, a number of citizens of Scipio met at the house of Ethan Smith, when Abram Tremain, Rufus Bishop and Brainard Cleveland were elected ruling elders. April 19, 1832, a society was organized with the following members : Abram Tremain, R. Bishop, B. Cleveland, William Smith, of Scipio, New York; William Van Fleet and wife from Melmore; Eliza Church, Sophia Cleveland and Susan Bishop from Homer, New York; and Martha Tremain from Genoa, New York. At this time a resolution adopting the Presbyterian confession of faith was carried, and in the barn attached to Ethan Smith's house the organization was perfected. For some time after services were held in the barns of T. P. Roberts and Ethan Smith, and in the winters within Smith's house. Rev. James Robinson was the first preacher, receiving $75 per annum, and a monthly call to shorten his sermons. At this time there were only a blacksmith shop and a little store at Republic.
The first log church building completed in the winter of 1831- 32, was erected on the Anway farm. one mile and a quarter south east of Republic. In 1837 the second church was erected, during the pastorate of Rev John McCutchen, and on its opening the revival services of that year were commenced .. In 1845 steps were taken by Rev. Harmon and society, to build the new or third church. This was completed in 1846 at a cost of $3,000.
The Methodist Episcopal church, of Republic, is almost con- temporary with the old church of Melmore, and for years the same
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circuit preachers. named in the history of the Melmore society, appeared here, their coming dating away back to the days when Cunningham's log workshop was the center of the Christian church in the young settlement of Republic.
Salem Reformed church of Scipio and Adams township was founded in 1837 .. as a union of the Lutheran and Reformed societies, by Rev. F. Rahauser, and a house of worship erceted on lands donated by John German. The old church of 1837 gave place some years later to a better building, and this also was super- seded.
Salem German Reformed Congregation of Adams and Scipio townships was reorganized September 29. 1867. out of the older organization of Adam township. John Hensinger presided, with Rev. Eli Keller, clerk. J. Hensinger, Anthony Harpster and H. Bachman were elected trustees. In 1868 a brick house of worship was erected on lands purchased from David Wyant.
The Universalist Society was founded here in 1840 under the name "Universalian Church," and in 1845 a house of worship was erected.
The Baptist Society. of Republic, was organized December 29, 1837. This society was reorganized under the act of May 1, 1852. on February 18, 1854, from the Scipio Baptist Society.
On August 20. 1869, a fire swept away thirteen buildings in the village of Republic. The entire contents of the Masonic lodge room were destroyed, and the records of other societies lost or burned. In 1871 another fire swept away two business blocks. Prior to 1869 a fire company was organized here, which ranked with the old-time fire-pail companies. After the fire of that year a new equipment was introduced, and after the fire of 1871 the department was re-organized.
The town of Republic shares with Seneca county and Scipio township in general prosperity. The census of 1900 gave it a population of 650. It has a newspaper-the Reporter-and a bank, known as the Republic Banking Company, doing a general banking business. It has three churches-Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist.
Edward Stinebaugh is mayor of Republic.
C. R. Womer is postmaster, and there are three route carriers.
Horace Robinson Post. G. A. R., was established September 10, 1881, and named in honor of a soldier who fell at Chancellors- ville, May 2, 1863. The charter members are named as follows : G. R. Hemmingway. George Tubbs. L. C. Hopkins. E. R. Sage, J. T. Dittman, H. K. Spooner, J. B. Ennis, L. S. Bergstresser, D. D. Neikirk, W. A. Mills. C. A. Way, L. A. Cook, D. Troxell, M. F. Sweetland, W. R. Robinalt, J. P. Sparks, E. C. Sparks, M. Gray. J. Crossley, J. P. Rogers. E. F. Gray, L. R. Barker. H. M. Reed, P. J. Shaw, A. Way, H. C. Martindale, F. A. Lumbar, G. W. Singer and B. A. Sloate.
D
CHAPTER XXI.
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
ADAMS TOWNSHIP-BIG SPRING AND VILLAGES OF NEW REIGEL, SPRINGVILLE, ETC .- BLOOM TOWNSHIP, ST. STEPHENS AND ELIZA- BETHTOWN-LEWIS LEITZ'S REMINISCENCES-CLINTON TOWNSHIP- REV. JOHN SOUDER'S PIONEER INCIDENTS-SWANDER AND VIONA- EDEN TOWNSHIP-STORY OF JOHN VAN METER-REV. JOSEPH BEVER'S RECOLLECTIONS-HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP-JOSEPH OGLE AND HIS WORKS-VANISHED VILLAGES-JACKSON TOWNSHIP-INDIAN SCARE AT NESTLERODE'S.
The histories of the fifteen townships included in Seneca county are presented in the following two chapters of this work. alphabetically arranged. They serve to complete the picture of. the pioneer times, which is always so full of interest to young and old alike. and also to furnish sketches of the smaller villages (both dead and living) which have not been heretofore presented.
Adams township was organized on the sixth day of December. 1825. but at that time it included only the sections not included in the Indian reservation. On the 25th day of December the first election was held. To make the township of any reasonable size the commissioners attached to Adams a tier of sections from and along the west side of Thompson.
The soil in this township is remarkably rich. producing all kinds of grain in abundance. The land at the time of the survey was heavily timbered, consisting chiefly of oak, walnut, poplar. maple, beech, etc. The surface is generally rolling and well watered. In 1830 Adams county had only 285 inhabitants, but it has steadily increased in population and wealth. Among the early settlers were Asa Crockett, L. C. Stone, Daniel Rule, Ezra West, James Crockett. F. Smith, Solomon Drown. John Petticord. Enos Mead. John Craig. William Myers. Samuel Whiteman. Reuben Drinkwater. G. Lee. John Keeler and John Pain.
Sulphur Springs is the great natural curiosity of Adams town- ship. These springs are nearly in the middle of section 7. The water which issues from the earth in several places is clear and
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cold. These springs will receive a more. extensive notice in another chapter.
Beaver creek, a small stream of this township, passes near these springs, and after receiving the waters of the springs. crosses into Pleasant township on section 12. Taking a northerly direc- tion, it leaves the county near the north-east corner of the town- ship. The creek received the name on account of the large num- ber_of beavers which was formerly found along the stream.
In pioneer times there were three saw-mills on this stream, above the sulphur springs, and water runs sufficient to drive them about half the year. In 1838 a large flouring mill was built on Beaver creek, just below the springs, but this was in Pleasant township. This mill has long since been one of the has beens.
On the 26th day of May. 1839. David Reeves and David Risdon surveyed a town on section 5. in Adams township. From the color of the water. it received the name of Green Springs. The waters from these springs unite with Beaver creek, after which the latter takes the name of Green creek, and empties into the San- dusky river in Sandusky county. In 1840 the population of this town was only 29. Green Springs was made a post-town, and the first postmaster was Daniel H. Dana. On the 30th day of April, 1846, another town plat was surveyed in Adams township, to which the name of Adamsville was given. But prior to this a town was surveyed on section 7, in this township, and was given the name of Sulphur Springs, from the springs before described, which are not far from the plat.
The settlement of the township was effected without the bustle which marked the occupation of the older townships of Seneca. This was due to the fact that it was not a wilderness in the sense that the country west of the Sandusky was; but a well-trailed land. partly surveyed. and adjacent to the old settlements. In all other respects the work of the pioneer did not differ in quantity or qual- ity from the earlier settlers of Venice or Big Spring. Thompson or Liberty, Reed or Loudon townships. It is true that the romance of life among the Indians of the great Sulphur Spring region, and the pleasures which the neighborhood of natural phenomena or curiosity bring, were present to lighten, as it were, the load of care by withdrawing attention from ordinary life among the great trees, and lending it to the wonderful in nature.
The year 1833 witnessed the true beginnings of settlement. and immigration then commenced and continued to flow in for years, until the whole township was peopled with as industrious and good a class of citizens as it is the fortune of any county to possess.
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Big Spring township was organized March 6. 1833, and re- ceived its name from the big spring of water in the southwest part of the township.
The first election was held April 4, 1833. and the following were the officers chosen: Trustees, E. Bogart and Richard Rey- nolds ; clerk, William Brayton ; treasurer, Hugh Mulholland; fence viewers, Cornelius Bogart, Andrew Springer and Joshua Watson ; overseers of the poor. Elijah Brayton and Charles Henderson; constable, Austin Knowlton.
The locality subsequently named Springville, was the only garden spot in the township. and around it the first settlements were made, within a year or two of the period when the township was organized. South of the township line the families of Asa Lake and Nehemiah Earls settled as early as 1819, Daniel Hodges in 1821. Christopher Baker. William Brown and John James in 1822, John Carey in 1823. Smith Kentfield in 1825 and Hiram J. Starr in 1830. Many of those pioneers of the Delaware and Wyandot country were acquainted with the big spring, coming and going over the Wyandot trail from the Big Spring Reservation to the Upper or Twelve-Mile Reservation, so that when the pioneers of this township arrived they were within easy distance of the pioneers of what is now Wyandot county. William Brown entered his lands, just south of the base line. in 1822, and may be counted among the pioneers of the township. The Jenkins brothers were early traders, and. it is believed. the first white residents of Big Spring. The Braytons. pioneers of Tymochtee township. Wvan- dot county, came in 1832; the Knowltons. Bogarts, Mulhollands, Hendersons, Youngs, Springers, Peers and Reynolds were all here prior to organization.
The first settlers were American-born and no German name is found among them. From 1833 to 1842 a very large number of German and French families came on, and after Anthony Schindler bought land and located in section 12. many of his old neighbors from Germany settled round about him. Here he laid out a town and named it after his native town in Germany. New Reigel. The old German settlers were Anthony and Carl Schind- ler. Joseph Bischof, Joseph. Stephan and Landelin Brosamer, Jacob Kabele, Michael Schon. Nicholas Perl. Nicholas and Francis Eltig, Peter Rinehart, Michael Wolly, Nicholas and Francis Etchen. John Wagner. Ignatz Lehnhart. M. Schlachter, John Moes. Joseph Ries. the Kern family. the Dannenhoeffers, the Schiraks, the Sei- benalers, and others. Among the French families were the Lafon- taines, the Filliatres. the Wernements. F. Collet, J. Mangett. the Gilliaumes, and others.
Anthony Schindler, who laid out New Reigel, was a very active. lively and enterprising man. Very soon after the laying out of
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this town, people settled in and around the town, and put up a log church, which in time gave way to a brick church, and that in its turn to one of the largest and most beautiful Catholic churches in northern Ohio.
The town of New Reigel is now settled up by farmers who have become wealthy, and wish to spend their last days at their ease near the church.
French Town is the name given to the French settlement, west of New Riegel, settled by the Lafontaines and others between 1840 and 1847. Comfortable homes and well cultivated farms charac- terize that portion of the township known under this name.
The town of Springville was surveyed by David Risdon in 1834 for Benjamin and John Jenkins, proprietors. The town never grew much. The spring was once a very powerful one and formed a small lake. The water was very deep, clear and cold. Since the country has been cleared up. the spring has lost much of its former celebrity and would now be noticed no more than any good spring on a farm.
The town of Oregon (now Adrian) was surveyed by R. M. Shoemaker, on the 17th of February, 1844. on sections 35 and 36, on the Mad River and Lake Erie, now the Cleveland, Sandusky & Cincinnati railroad. Erastus H. Cook and D. C. Henderson were the proprietors. Eli Gehr, Adam Vetter, John Gants and Charles Foster were the first settlers here. The town grew up to its present size within a few years after it was laid out, and stood there ever since.
Among the early settlers should also be mentioned the Boucher families, Peter Lantz. Isaac Dewitt, Frederick Waggoner. Ira Taft, William Blue, Israel Harmas. W. Burgess, Peter Wanner, M. Clark, Louis Schany, William Clark, E. H. Cook, E. Brayton, the Jenkins, Joseph Clapper. John Ellerton, Henry Mulholland, and C. Woolford.
The railroads in the township are the Big Four and the Toledo & Ohio Central.
Alveda is a small station on the Hocking Valley railroad. It was a settlement on section 18, and was surveyed as a town in 1876.
Bloom township as established in 1824 comprised the township of Bloom, Seipio, Reed and Venice townships, and was named for the German patriot Bloom, on the suggestion of John Seitz. Later Scipio, Venice and Reed were organized. and this township was reorganized within its present boundaries. In. December, 1824. Scipio was detached ; in December, 1826, Reed was established, and in June, 1829. Venice was set off as a separate township.
The township is watered by Honey creek. Silver creek and tributary streams. Honey creek enters the township in the north- east quarter of section 1, flows in a general southwestern course, Vol. 1-29
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and leaves the township in the southwest quarter of section 18. Along its banks are numerous springs, and here, too, many of the early saw and grist-mills were erected. The pioneers selected the neighborhood of the creek for their homes, and opened their first farms. Silver creek may be called a native stream, has its source in the southeastern corner of the township. and, flowing generally northwest, leaves the township in the northwest quarter of section 19. The county drain enters this creek, and it is also fed by a number of rivulets.
The early settlers here were men of good judgment and great sagacity, when they resolved to drive their stakes for homes. They saw in the near future the grandeur, beauty and agricultural wealth these valleys, in the hands of industry, intelligence and economy, would present to the world. Its soil, timbers, building stones, prospects for market, all these and more, were great incen- tives for the founding of new homes in the forest. A glance at Bloom township now. with its beautiful farms in a high state of cultivation, with large barns, splendid farm houses, fields teeming with rich crops. its pastures enjoyed by excellent stocks of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs; its commodious school houses and churches. etc., give strong proof how well the aim of the pioneer settler was directed when first the tall timbers fell by the woodman's axe, along Honey creek and Silver creek. running through the township.
Thomas Boyd was one of the earliest settlers here. He came in 1822, and settled on section 11, where he lived until his death. which occurred November 27th, 1847. Soon after him came also his brother, James Boyd. and his widowed sister, Mrs. Mary Donnell. Mrs. Thomas Baker is a daughter of James Boyd, and is still living. Her father moved to Iowa, where he died. Thomas Boyd had four sons : James, Jesse. Jefferson and Samuel.
John Seitz, Isaac Rohrer, Levi Neibel, Lyman Robinson, Jacob Meyer, Rufus Kirshner, Henry Perkey. David Crapo, Truman King, James Wilson, Evan Dorsey, John Newman, Lewis Seitz, John Davis, Mr. Jeffries. Mr. Donald and J. C. Hampton are honored names among the old pioneers.
Mr. James Steel from Pennsylvania, built the first grist mill in the township, on the banks of Silver creek. The Hershbergers turned it into a sawmill sometime after the Koller mill and the Engle mill were put up. The first meeting house in the township was a Presbyterian church, erected in 1834. It was a small frame building. They held meetings in it before it was plastered; all that spring and summer and in the fall of that year, while it was being plastered. By some unknown cause, it took fire and burned down. Then a brick church was built on the same spot. which answered for many years, until finally it was torn down and the brick used in the construction of a brick church in Bloomville.
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The old church stood northwest of Bloomville, near the cemetery. The Methodists built a church soon after on the land owned by J. W. Stinehcomb, but it was superceded by a stone church down the creek.
The village of St. Stephens is an old settlement. Here is the church of St. Stephen-Roman Catholic-which was founded in 1842. Among the early members were Martin Steinmetz, Philip Falter, Matthew Delaney. Joseph Danker, John Worm. Fred and John Steigmeier, Jacob Maier, Nicholas Lehman, Stephen Dick, Joseph Juend. Henry Sieger and Nick Duercher. Rev. Salesius Brunner was the first priest. He was succeeded by Revs. Matthias Kreusch, Jacob Ringely, A. Dambach. M. Baker and Nicholas Gales. February 1. 1874, Rev. Philip Rist. the present pastor. took charge of St. Stephen's parish. The congregation numbers over 200 souls. The old church has given place to the new church, erected at a cost of $7,000. the corner-stone of which was placed October 1, 1885.
The St. Stephens of today is a small village and is a station on the Toledo division of the Pennsylvania lines. It is in the eastern part of Bloom township.
Elizabethtown was surveyed in 1838, on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 6, range 16 east and was named for. Elizabeth Boyer, wife of Dr. Fisher. The location was on what was known as the Beachman farm, or Blackman's Corners. The place at one time contained a general store, a wagon shop and a blacksmith shop, with a population of about one hundred. It is not in existence as a village today.
LEWIS SEITZ'S REMINISCENCES.
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The early settlement of Bloom township is well told by the following sketch by Pioneer Lewis Seitz: "In October, 1825. at the age of twenty-three, with my wife and one child, I removed to my present home (on an adjoining farm) in Bloom township. The name of Bloom had been suggested by my brother John just one year before my arrival, and adopted in 1824 at the organization of the township. I came from my native county. Fairfield. into an almost unbroken wilderness of forest trees, with less than a score of settlers in advance of me. Nearly all who were here before me had settled along the rich valley of Honey creek. For two or three years before mine was reared, cabins had begun to appear in our wilderness. Among their occupants I remember Joseph Mcclellan, James and Thomas Boyd, the Donalds, George Free, Roswell Munsel, Nehemiah Hadley. John Stroh. Lowell Robinson, my brothers John Seitz and Noah Seitz. JJ. C. Hampton (who came in 1822 with the Boyds and Donalds, from Ross county) in-
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forms me that he aided in erecting the first cabin put up in the township. This was for my brother Noah, on Silver creek. Hamp- ton made his home for a time with his companions from Ross. Their shelter at first was in a log pen covered with logs split in twain, the under tier being with flat side up, and the top tier cover- ing the cracks with the flat side down. The beds were for the women, on bedsteads, with one post. That is, in one corner of the 'pen' two poles were entered in the logs, with the other end in this 'post.' Baswood bark furnished the 'cords.' The men slept on the ground, with hickory bark spread down for sheets. Hampton says: 'Our first supply of flour was brought by us on horseback from Mansfield, through the woods.' I also helped cut out the small timber west and south of Roop's Corners, to make a public road. But to continue with the names of the first settlers: Jacob Rodegeb, Abraham Kagy. John Davis, Edward Sutherland. Chris- topher Perkey, Bartholomew Stout, John Stinchcomb and Richard Ridgely. Within a very few years after my arrival came also Jacob Webster, the Bixlers, John Pennington, J. T. Reed, John Einsel, Edward Cooley, Samuel Gross, John Valentine, Gain Robin- son, Zelaphel Owen, Joshua Watson, Samuel and Henry Nisley, Lewis and Jacob Spitler.
"During these early days a wilderness of forest trees covered the earth, and the first need of the settler was to clear away space enough for a cabin, and then it was 'root, hog, or die.' While I brought from Fairfield county enough flour to last two years, very few of my contemporaries were thus provided. One season, how- ever, usually sufficed the industrious pioneer to clear a small field and grow bread to do. As for meat. everyone had his gun to sup- ply him with wild turkey or venison, which were abundant. Often too, as we lay upon our pillow at night, were we saluted with the howl of wolves, apparently at our cabin door. Not only did they make night vocal with their cries, but woe to the sheep or young think none made their home in our township. There were some
pigs not well guarded. An occasional bear passed through, but I otter about the marsh near Bloomville. A wild cat was shot within one hundred rods of our cabin. Indians often visited us. generally of the Wyandot tribe, who then had their headquarters at Upper Sandusky. A few Senecas. from their reserve below Tiffin, strag- gled hither occasionally. Our red brother was uniformly friendly. and, as a rule, honest. but a tricky one appeared sometimes. Un- like his white brother of modern times, however, he had not the cheek to attempt a repetition of his trick in the same vicinity. Shamed by that conscience which, as Shakespeare puts it. 'makes cowards of us all.' his victim seldom saw him again.
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